Defender Sauerbrunn is sticking with the NWSL’s Portland Thorns for 1 more year

By ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Veteran defender Becky Sauerbrunn has signed a one-year contract that will keep her with the Portland Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League through the upcoming season, the team announced Tuesday.

Sauerbrunn, who played on the U.S. teams that won the Women’s World Cup in both 2015 and 2019, has played for the Thorns for the past four seasons, starting in 39 of 42 appearances with the club. Terms of the contract announced Tuesday were not released.

“Ready for another chapter?” the 38-year-old said on a social media post.

Sauerbrunn’s NWSL career has spanned 11 seasons, winning two championships with the now-defunct FC Kansas City and another with Portland in 2022. She has been named NWSL Defender of the Year a record four times.

“We are delighted to be able to bring Becky back to Portland for this upcoming season, her leadership, on and off the field, her professionalism, and quality on the pitch will be paramount to what we are hoping to achieve this year as a team and in this new era as a club,” Thorns general manager Karina LeBlanc said.

Sauerbrunn has played in 217 matches for the United States. In addition to a pair of World Cup titles, she also won an Olympic gold medal in 2012 and a bronze medal at the Tokyo Games.

Sauerbrunn was unavailable to play for the United States at the World Cup last summer in Australia and New Zealand because of a foot injury.

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